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Geropsychology

Types of Degrees Geropsychology Majors Are Earning

Those studying Geropsychology can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Doctor’s Degree	3

What Geropsychology Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Geropsychology develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Geropsychology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Geropsychology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Psychology — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Law and Government — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Geropsychology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Geropsychology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Geropsychology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.4 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.2 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.1 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Geropsychology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft SharePoint	Document management software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Geropsychology graduates include:

• Adjunct Psychology Faculty Member
• Psychology Professor
• Applied Psychology Professor
• Teacher
• Educational Psychology Teacher
• College Professor
• College Faculty Member
• Lecturer
• Abnormal Psychology Teacher
• Human Relations Teacher
• Professor
• Instructor
• School Psychology Professor
• Psychology Adjunct Instructor
• Child Development Instructor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Geropsychology graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	39.0%
Doctoral degree	19.9%
Post-doctoral training	12.0%
Master’s degree	10.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	6.3%
High school diploma or equivalent	4.7%
Postsecondary certificate	3.1%
Some college courses	2.4%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.0%
Post-master’s certificate	0.3%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Geropsychology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 100% of Geropsychology degrees.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Geropsychology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	2	66.7%
Two or More Races	1	33.3%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Geropsychology Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Geropsychology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$54,756
4 years	$59,892
5 years	$67,036

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $67,036 — roughly 22% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Geropsychology Programs

Fully online options are documented by IPEDS for Geropsychology. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Master’s	1	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Geropsychology Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Geropsychology graduates earn a median of $59,892 four years after completion — roughly 58% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology	42.28
Applied Behavior Analysis	42.2814
Applied Psychology	42.2813
Clinical Child Psychology	42.2807
Clinical Psychology	42.2801
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology, Other	42.2899
Community Psychology	42.2802
Counseling Psychology	42.2803
Educational Psychology	42.2806
Environmental Psychology	42.2808
Family Psychology	42.2811
Forensic Psychology	42.2812

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.